A Frozen Journey
by kitelester
Summary: Vlad finds Danny living in the Nasty Burger, but before he can turn him over to CPS, Danny says he wants to live with Vlad. What does Danny really want from Vlad, though? (NO SLASH) This story details Danny's journey from despondent halfa to the completely evil Phantom we all know and love. Danny Phantom is not mine.
1. Chapter 1

A Frozen Journey

Chapter 1

Danny

"Oh my gosh, Danny, you're finally awake! You scared the crap out of us." Sam?

"Yeah, Danny, way to freak us out." Tucker!

"You have some explaining to do young man! Why didn't you tell us you were that ghost boy?" That's definitely mom.

"Yeah! We coulda hooked you up with cool, stylish weapons to fight the ghosts with!" Don't even have to open my eyes to know who that is.

"It doesn't matter why he didn't tell you mom, but you know now. And we're all together now." Jazz was always the voice of reason.

My eyes finally open and my vision clears. Everyone's here, and no one cares that I'm a ghost.

I'd done it. I'd saved them! The remnants of the nasty burger were all around us. Mr. Lancer called out to us from across the room.

"Scarlet Letter, Daniel! You saved us! And you're... A ghost?"

"Let the man breath, jeez. Are you alright Danny?" Sam pushed her way through the circle, getting close... Very close. "I knew you'd save us Danny."

"Well, uh... Hahah. You're welc-"

Whatever I was saying was cut off by Sam, who had closed the small gap between us with a hesitant kiss.

"Yeah well... You're gonna have to take me on date somewhere other then the nasty burger in the future... What with it, you know... Exploded."

Sam blushed and turned away, embarrassed at their kiss.

"Okay Danny, we'll see you at home. I'm making bacon!" Mom grabs Dad, who was tinkering with something dangerous looking, and starts walking away. Jazz waves energetically, and follows their parents.

"I have to go to, see you later love birds." Tucker was gone now to. It was just me… and Sam.

"Sam… I love you." It was suddenly so easy for me to say, I couldn't believe it'd taken so long for me to admit.

"I love you to Danny." Blushes, followed by another shy kiss. "Oh, man I'd loved to stay but... You know. See you around Danny"

"What? Not you to, Sam. Why not stay here with me?"

"Come on Danny, you know why. Anyway, it really is getting late. By Danny!" she cheerfully stood and waved, leaving me alone once again.

"Don't go!" I shouted myself awake. A dream... Of course it was a dream. I hadn't saved anyone but myself that day. Only in my dreams could I forget that fact.

I lifted myself from my bed of ice, and rubbed my neck. I stood up, stretching lightly before throwing myself back on my bed.

Some policemen were walking through the nasty burger. Once I'd heard the rumors to rebuild, I'd given up my spot by their graves and haunted the nasty burger. I'd scared off all the workers and policemen who went through here until they stopped coming.

I thought about putting on a show for the policemen who had joined me, but despite having just woken up, I didn't have the energy. Sleeping in ghost form, invisible, on my ice bed (also invisible) drained a lot of energy, but it was worth it. Nobody had bothered me since the funeral. After a week or so it became second nature. I rarely ever went human. Even when human, I was ready to go immediately invisible if sighted. I couldn't take being around anyone.

I was only visible during the funeral. I owed them that much. It was the most difficult day of my life. But I didn't let myself cry. It was my own fault they died. It would be like smashing a vase then whining cuz you got cut by the glass. Or something like that. Metaphors were hard. Or was that a simile?

I stretched out once more on my ice bed. It was strangely comforting. Cold, yes, and hard. But it felt natural. Serene. Peaceful.

I was pretty sure I'd never go anywhere again until I died.

I doubt I'd have to wait much longer.

Vlad

I may be evil, but... Actually I'm not totally convinced I'm evil. I'm no boy scout, and I do evil things, but the real Vlad Masters really isn't evil. Just very selfish. My ghost side, Plasmius, howevers... Yeah, he's evil.

That aside, despite being partially evil, I still pitied little Daniel. I myself was completely distraught when I heard about Maddie. In another life I'd wanted Daniel as a son. Now, I just wanted to speak with him once. I wanted to know what really happened at the Nasty Burger. I wanted to know the truth.

It's been almost a month since Maddie died. Rumors spread that Danny had run away. I wouldn't blame him, of course.

He always was so weak.

Sighing, I strolled into the nasty burger, escorted by some policemen. I didn't really expect to find him there. Once I'd checked out the graveyard and his house, I had been convinced he'd taken off.

I wasn't at the nasty burger to find Daniel. I came because I, to, was grieving. I wanted to see for myself what had happened. I wanted some closure, and hoped to find it here at the Nasty Burger.

The place looked like a war zone. This was a bizarre piece of death and destruction glued into the middle of suburbia.

They hadn't been able to clean the place up because of some unexplainable phenomena. Probably Daniel. However, all 'unnatural' activity had stopped several days ago. No ghostly wails or possessed workmen anymore. They'd start cleaning and clearing all the rubble soon. Most likely Daniel had run off after getting bored of haunting the place.

I was funding the reconstruction myself. There will be a memorial here soon. I suppose I'd have to put Jack's name on there as well.

Sighing again, my sixth sense picked up the presence of a ghost. Is Daniel really still here?

Danny

Of course Vlad would come to gloat. No... He loved mom in his own twisted, crazy way. Just another person to feel guilty about hurting. I stood up, and watched as he went around the room, sighing and deep in thought.

The fruit loop did have some humanity. I could see his despair clear as day on his face as he kicked around piles of rubble.

I hoped he'd just leave. I didn't feel like a fight or talking. There was nothing he could do. I wasn't leaving until I keeled over for good.

My vision darkened. The rings, signaling my transformation, appeared. Was this Vlad's doing? Or was this…

Exhaustion. Everything blurred into a dark swirl. I didn't even feel hitting the ground.

I was flying in my dream. Flying to... I don't know where. I was following someone. Sam. She was leading me to her.

We went into a mansion, a mansion I recognized as Vlads. He had such bad taste.

We phased through all the walls right down to his basement, and stopped in front of the ghost portal. She kissed my cheek, waved, and flew through the portal. This is it... We're finally together...

I phased through the portal door, ready to see her again and—

Woke up.

I'm in a hospital. No! I tried to hang onto the dream, but it was fading. All I could remember was that to find Sam, I'd have to get to Vlads. I went intangible, and chords and tubes fell from off of me. I felt stronger then I had in weeks. I looked around and saw my clothes thrown carelessly on a chair. I yanked off the hospital gown, and I pulled my clothes back on, not caring how dirty they were. I had to figure out a way for Vlad to let me into his house.

But before that, bathroom break.

Vlad

While sitting in the hospital lounge, debating whether to interrogate the child or leave, I called CPS. The kid had to have some family willing to take him.

I had to stick around to sign some papers, but once I hand him over to the authorities my duty is done. Maddie. Will she be happy if I leave it like this? Should I go and at least find out what happened from the kid?

I go to his hospital room. He wasn't dying. Hybrids can go much longer then humans without eating. In just a day or two he'd be back to normal.

But for now... He looked pretty bad. They said his temperature was ridiculously low. Probably had something to do with all that strange ice I'd seen at the nasty burger after he went human and passed out.

I saw him get up, and decided to leave. I'd find the answers about Maddie's death one day. But I wouldn't get anything out of the kid in this state. He wasn't physically in that bad of condition. There was just something in his eyes that told me he wasn't talking any time soon.

Fine by me. Vlad Masters is nothing if not patient.

Danny

Exiting the bathroom, I realized it must have been Vlad Who took me to the hospital.

As I tried to leave the room, a man-my doctor-tried to explain to me why I'd collapsed, and the importance of taking care of yourself blah blah blah. He led me to some official looking people. Government. Not going anywhere with them.

Vlad was sitting with them at a table, signing some papers.

A woman called my name. I looked at her and was shocked-she had my moms same hair. The surprise broke my icy resolve-my face pulled into a grimace. This wasn't good. I had to convince her I wanted to go with Vlad, and lying to a woman who reminds me of my dead mom? This is going to suck.

"Hey there Danny. I'm sorry about whats happened to you." she did genuinely seem sorry. Which made all this harder. "Mr Masters brought you here-I understand you're family friends? Well I heard everything from him. I'm going to call your aunt soon. How does that sound sweetie?"

Now. I have to speak now. I sit in a chair beside her.

A false start-clear my throat. Freeze the ice over my sorrow.

There. I'm ready. My first words are true.

"I don't want to live with my aunt. I don't even know her."

"Well sweetie you can't live on your own. Don't you think you should be with family?" she looked like she was going to hold my hand. I sorta wanted her to. It would feel very nice.

Instead I put my hand in my lap.

"no... I want to live with someone I know. Someone I trust-someone my parents-" voice cracks-"trusted. I want to go with Vlad." now the lying. I tried not to avert my eyes.

The shock was evident on Vlads face. Then suspicion. Silence.

The woman cleared her throat.

"Danny, I have to send you to family. I'm sorry, but-"

Here it is. Do I really want to go with Vlad? Vlad. He was my enemy.

But is he still? I know him better then my aunt. And my parents were his best friends.

Evil, yes. But familiar. Who else would take me anyway? I mean, he always said he wanted me as a son. Who else could really understand being a halfa, then loosing everything you love?

Above all else though, Sam sent me that dream. She's trying to find me. Maybe she's forgiven me, maybe she still loves me...

"My dads will. He kept it in the lab. It says in the event of his, my moms, and my sisters death, I go to Vladdy's."

An exchange of looks. The authorities didn't see that coming.

"Well... If you can get it to us, we'll try to respect your fathers wishes." She looked over at Vlad, as if he should say something. He just furrowed his brows.

Vlad stood, and cleared his throat, but stays silent.

Vlad

...

**A/N: Poor Vladdy is left speechless! Please comment to let me know how I'm doing. : )**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much for the kind reviews! If Danny's POV seems fractured at times, then I'm glad. : ) Also, as I'm posting this while under the influence of NyQuil, I will be revising it tomorrow. If you see anything you think I should know about (grammar, spelling, continuity) please point it out to me so I can fix it. I probably shouldn't post it now, but like I said... NyQuil.**

Danny

My home. Same as always. A jacket was on the couch, waiting to be used. Shoes that were cast off in a hurry waited by the staircase.

"I bought it soon after your parents death, Daniel." Vlad gazed at me expectantly, probably thinking I'd be angry.

I just nodded.

I made my way down into the lab, careful not to look at anything in particular. I tried not to look at the former ghost portal. Memories tried to fight their way to the surface, but I didn't let them break through.

I shuffled to my dad's desk, and put my hand on a sensor hidden in the wall. Dad had been oddly serious when he'd shown me this particular invention of his.

"Here it is. Right where he left it." A panel in the wall slid open, revealing a few important documents. I gave the women from CPS my dad's will.

_Last will and testament of oh forget it. Hey Danny. If you're reading this... Well... I'm sorry. You're alone._

_I want you to live with Vladdy. He's always been a good friend. I know he'll treat you well._

_-Jack Fenton_

Tears well up, and I ball my fists. No. Ice it over. Calm down Danny.

"Well, Danny, once I can get this confirmed-"

"Can I stay with Vlad until you do? I'm tired of being alone." That much at least was true.

Kind eyes, a gentle touch on the shoulder. I hated this woman for being so kind to me. She was too much like mom. I turned away.

"If Mr. Masters is okay with it..." we both looked at Vlad. He'd been completely silent through the whole trip.

"If it's what Daniel wants, I suppose I could find room in my humble abode for him." his eyes were still narrowed in suspicion. But he'd accepted, and that's what mattered.

I was in. Wait for me, Sam.

"Alright Danny, I'll get the papers..."

Vlad

I honestly don't know what to think. I'm his worst, most powerful enemy. Well, was. I have no reason to fight him now.

That was it then? I'm now just his parent's old friend, not a threat? Or does he have another reason? Could he somehow blame me for his parent's death? Surely he wasn't that thick.

I didn't let myself hope it was because he knew I understood him.

That can't be it. There must be some ulterior motive behind those sickeningly empty eyes of his. I put my hands on his shoulders, and lead the teen to my limo. I'll admit to the smallest ounce of happines. A piece of Maddie lives on, and that piece wants to be near me.

Danny

The limo ride leads to a jet. He said something about staying in Amity Park being unhealthy. I guess we're going to Wisconsin. I couldn't really care less. I would go wherever Sam led me.

It was weird being in the same room as Vlad but not fighting. Weird, but also kinda... Nice. I didn't feel like fighting, and was glad he felt the same.

"We've got a long flight. Go ahead and use one of those rooms to sleep. I'll send in some food later."

I obeyed, not really listening, and fell to the ground in his private room. I really was tired. I felt my ice envelope me, and out of habit rather then necessity, went invisible. My ice was really less of a bed and more of a sleeping bag, but it was the only I'd been able to sleep since…

I dreamt of Sam. Just her face, smiling and warm. Lively. Happy. The others were there to, just smiling. But I watched Sam the most. We just looked and looked and smiled and laughed and-

"Daniel? Daniel! I know you're in here why on earth did you go invisi-ow! What the-" Vlad stubbed his toe on my ice, waking me up. I went visible, but didn't melt my ice.

"What do you want?" I asked, slightly moody. It was a good dream.

"Why the devil are you surrounded in ice? And why were you invisible?" Vlad had something in his hands.

"I dunno... Habit?" Not wanting to talk, I looked at the food in his hands. "That looks good." I melt my ice and stand slowly, stretching my frozen muscles.

"Yes, indeed." Confused, but knowing better then to ask again about the ice, Vlad set the platter down on the table.

"We land soon. Eat up." Vlad leaves, and I'm alone again.

Vlad

Why in the world was he incased in ice? I mean who does that? Did he always have that power, or was it brought on by his recent emotional upheaval? Powerful emotions always seemed to be the key to unlocking powers for the boy.

I continued to try and puzzle out the boy, my scientific mind mulling over the different possibilities.

Just as I felt like I'd realized something, the jet hit some turbulence and I lost the thought. Ah, well. Nothing to be done. I'd worry about it another day.

Daniel's frozen visage came to my mind once again. He had looked so peaceful, it was creepy. I, Vlad Plasmius, was creeped out by the serenity he attained while sleeping.

Danny

After eating, I took a light nap. I didn't dream, but not being conscious for a little while was nice.

I felt us landing, and not wanting another awkward wake up call, melted my ice and went to the main room. Vlad was standing, talking on his phone. Business, it sounded like.

I sat down on one of the chairs, sinking into it immediately. Of course Vlad had to have goose feather seats in his jet. I couldn't get comfortable, and kept squirming. Finally I just stood up and waited by one of the windows. It felt kind of strange, flying inside of a metal contraption instead of as a ghost.

We soon landed and exited the jet, Vlad still talking on the phone, occasionally looking at me like he wasn't sure why I hadn't just flown off once I'd gotten the chance.

Whatever. I wasn't sticking around forever.

Vlad finished his call, and escorted me through the house. He showed me where the dining room, library, and entertainment rooms were. He led me upstairs, and into one of the many guest rooms. It was stuffy and dusty. As I'd remembered from previous visits—and the occasional brawl—Vlad had terrible taste. Imagine old Victorian meets midlife crisis, and that just about says it all.

"You can of course decorate as you like." He probably saw me sneer at the décor that was strewn about my new room. "Just let me know what to buy. Dinner is at 6. Take a shower, and then show yourself around. I have work."

I nodded absently, heading to the shower.

I phased most of the muck I'd acquired over the past month off, but the smaller stuff would have to be cleaned off with water. I decided to take a bath-A nice cold bubble bath.

I saw clothes that looked about my size on the counter. No way I was wearing them though. Living in Vlads house was one thing. Dressing like him? No way.

I turned some water into ice crystals, and chucked them out the window, which was positioned high for good lighting without giving away privacy. I grinned when I heard somebody outside yell in surprise.

After about an hour I decided to get out. After drying off, I took inventory of the clothes Vlad had provided for me. They looked like something for a kid in boarding school. Definitely for a fruit loop jr to wear. I decided to wear the same clothes I'd been wearing. The ones I wore when it happened.

Sure they were old and dirty. But my mom had bought them. My dad had picked them out. Even jazz thought they looked good. Or at least, she didn't call me shabby.

But... Maybe I'd have them washed. I sniffed them carefully. Definitely have them washed.

For now I pulled them back on, and set about finding the lab.

After hours of searching and turning up empty, I decided to give up for the night. Vlad obviously had hidden it well.

But I will find it.

I check the clock and see it's about dinnertime. I look around me, searching for a landmark.

Where was the dining room again?

Vlad

Eating dinner with Daniel was one of the strangest experiences of my life. We weren't fighting, or throwing jibes about who's insane or who's powerless. We just ate. Near the end of the meal, I decided to bring up the matter of his clothing. I wanted him to speak, and I knew bringing up the clothes he's worn for apparently the past month non-stop would get some sort of a reaction.

"Daniel, leave your clothes out tonight and I'll have them cleaned and repaired."

"You won't throw them away, will you?" Daniel looked at me from the corner of his eye.

Rude. I hadn't expected that. He was looking at me like I was going to shoot his dog.

"Daniel I'm evil, not heartless. You obviously have some attachment to those clothes. I don't know why you want to stay here, but it was your choice. So stop looking at me like I'm going to attack you." I scooped another piece of my dinner into my mouth and stood up. "Breakfast is at 8. I'll see you then." I turned to go, but was stopped by a hesitant noise.

"Umm sorry, I guess. And thanks an all that." he looked down, honestly sorry for apparently upsetting me. I sighed heavily.

"I'm not angry, Daniel. Anyway, have a good night sleep." I turned once more, but he stopped me again.

"Wait... I don't remember where my room is."

Perhaps I'd better make a map for the boy.

Danny

I curled up at the foot of my bed, and created my ice. This time I decided not to go invisible. There was no need, and I didn't have the energy for it.

As soon as I'd closed my eyes, I could hear Sam's voice as she beckoned to me. I smiled slightly, and fell asleep.

Vlad

Daniel's late for breakfast. He probably got lost again the little fool...

Ah well, can't be helped. You don't eat if you're not on time. I began eating, but after a few bites put my fork down.

I pushed myself up and out of my chair. I couldn't expect him to immediately acclimatize. I made my way to his room, and found him in his bizarre ice cave... Thing. At least he wasn't invisible. I hoped I'd one day understand his need to freeze himself nearly to death every night. Is this the way he always slept, or was there a more recent reason for this strange practice?

Danny

Flying, flying with Tucker.

"Hey Man! You never told me how awesome flying is!" We're laughing.

I see Sam up ahead. She's right there.

"Daniel!" I startle awake.

Vlad is in my new room, looking down on me.

I stay Ghost, melt my ice, and stretch.

"Daniel, it's past 8. Please try to be on time for meals. Follow me." Vlad motioned to the open door. I made no move.

"Vlad... No, never mind." I had almost just asked him where his lab was. Stupid. This was a secret. I can't let him know Sam was communicating with me. He'd… I don't know. He'd do something. He'd ruin it. He'd keep us apart.

"On weekdays, you must be human outside your room. There is staff here. On the weekends do as you will, the only staff are in the kitchen."

"And today is…?" I ask. I really don't know. Sleeping in ice messes with my inner clock.

"Saturday. I have the day off, so if you need anything I'll be in the library." I stop Vlad from leaving, and ask him when I'll get my clothes back.

"Your clothes will be returned to you tomorrow morning. Be ready by noon and we'll go shopping. I'll buy you some clothes and things for your room."

We're in the dining room now. I stay ghost, partly because I have no human clothes on and partly because I was feeling more comfortable as a ghost of late. I felt closer to my friends and family, I guess.

We ate... Something (fish, maybe?) and parted ways.

I took off to look for the lab again. I phased and floated through all the upper rooms. Just before I decided to look underground, I saw it.

"Yes!" I accidentally yelled. I searched all through the massive lab, finding lots of strange looking science equipment, but… where is it? It has to be here.

I keep searching, throwing all strange sciency stuff out of my way. Some of the stuff looked familiar—blasters, nets, other ghost fighting stuff.

But no portal.

That can't be. I know he made one. I look again. Maybe he has it hidden in a wall?

After searching for another ten minutes I let it really hitme: there's no portal here.

"Dangit!" I punch a wall, cracking it, and sink into my ice cave. I can't be awake right now. Not with this disappointment.

It wasn't really a conscious plan, falling asleep. I just couldn't be awake. It was so natural now to just ice over and fall asleep that within minutes I was out cold.

Hahah. Look, I can still make bad puns.

"I think you need to work on those puns, Danny. They're kinda... Terrible." Tucker threw his arm around me, laughing.

"Oh leave him alone. His stupid puns and corny war cry are why I... Well you know."

"Liiiiiiike him?" tucker winked at Sam, and avoided her punch.

Annoyed and blushing, Sam looked at me.

"Well, yeah." I not to gracefully shove tucker away, and hug Sam close.

"Sam, I want to stay with you."

"You know how to find me, Danny. I told you how."

Vlad

My lab alerted me to a ghost intruder. Daniel. He looked almost lively when he saw he'd found my lab. This wasn't my real lab though. This was just for tourists and thieves.

Daniel seemed to be looking for something. A weapon maybe? Nostalgia?

Whatever it was, after deciding it wasn't there, he destroyed one of the walls. Emotional prepubescent little-

And then he did it again. He falls into his ice cave, that weird coping mechanism of his. I decide to leave him to his ice and dreams. For now.

Danny

I wake up to the sound of Vlad yelling for me from another room. I quickly got rid of the ice and went intangible. I slid into a random room and wondered out, visible now.

"Time to go Daniel. You're going to have to turn human before we get to the mall. Here are my least fruity loopy clothes, as you call them." Vlad handed me a plain white shirt and black pants. They'd do. I put them on over my hazmat suit. I decided to wait a little longer before going human. I don't think about why I don't go human anymore unless I have to. I'm too tired to spend my energy like that.

In the car, Vlad asked how my day had gone, what I'd gone up to. I ignored him. He made a tsk noise.

"Daniel I know you were in my lab."

I'm not surprised. Of course he'd have sensors and stuff.

"Wasn't much of a lab if you ask me." I snorted and looked out the window, reminded of how I'd failed to find the portal.

"What do you want so badly that you'd live with me to get it? Your fathers lab-"

"I can't. I can't use his lab. Not with him dead." That much was true. Not only was it incredibly painful emotionally, but also the portal sealed when he died. I don't know how. He must have had it programmed to do so if he died. He was a genius after all.

"I see. Tell me what you want; I might be willing to help. You do live with me now, even if you had ulterior motives. Mi casa su casa and all that." Vlad seemed genuine enough. But I just didn't want to tell him.

I didn't want to tell him I wanted to use his ghost portal to find my friends and family. I didn't want him to tell me how ridiculous and impossible that is.

So I stayed silent.

Suddenly he pulled over. I look over at him, wondering what he was up to. We weren't even out of the woods yet.

His eyes had narrowed and I saw a familiar flash in his eyes. Things could get real violent real soon. His gaze said it all: spill my guts, or he'd spill my guts.

I looked away from him, towards the trees. Screw him.

"That's it, you've forced my hand." Vlad went ghost and grabbed me by the scruff of my neck. "I've been very patient. I haven't asked what happened. I haven't forced you to tell me why Maddie is dead. I've let you live at my house. Oh I know you're grieving and all but you need to start divulging some of your sulky little feelings or I'm going to throw you out and put up my very own special anti-Daniel shield around my house and my REAL lab. You'll never get whatever you want and I won't lose a nights sleep. In fact, I'll sleep well knowing you're not going to go homicidal on me and slit my throat as I sleep."

I keet quiet.

Real lab? Time to bring out the ham.

I hung my head in typical I'm-so-apologetic stance and began my sorrys.

"Don't feign apologies to me. Just tell the truth for once. What could be so important that you would risk coming to me, who would just as quickly kill you as help you?"

Something… overflows inside me. I'm angry. I'm not sure what he said that set me off. But I'm pissed.

Vlad

Well that's odd. Daniel seems to be...glowing. And angry... Very angry.

"Daniel calm down before-" Daniel suddenly rushes me. He's strangely faster and more ruthless in his attacks. He throws ice and plasma seemingly without end. I barely avoid them. This could get bad.

I start fighting back, but there's something different. He's so strong. And ruthless... Like the human part of him is just gone. His fists come flying at me, dripping with plasma and covered in icy spikes.

"Daniel... Daniel don't do anything you'll regret-"

He breaks through my guard and I'm on the ground now. His ice seems to be draining my energy. I'm going to become human any moment. I need to stop him, I need him to calm down.

With no other options, I phase into Daniel.

I immediately regret it. He's like a fiery snowstorm, hot and cold at the same time. He's burning and freezing but nothing in between. He's like a vast and deep ocean, frozen on the surface but boiling underneath.

I need to get out. But first I need to calm him.

I summon up a memory. He's with that Goth chick and his sister. They're talking about outer space. His turmoil isn't gone, but I feel him calming.

I leave his mind, and become human again. Then, I black out.

Danny

I'd forgotten about that memory. It was from such a long time ago. It was the first time I'd told Sam I wanted to be an astronaut.

The first tear I've had since her death falls to the ground, next to Vlad's motionless body.

Oh no. I can't have killed him to. Panic fills me. Please don't be dead-Not when you helped me like that. I don't even know what happened to me, or how I could stop it from happening again.

I pick him up carefully and fly him back to the mansion at full speed.

**A/N: There will be some fun reveals next chapter. Thanks for sticking with it! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: You'll notice that Danny's thoughts will seem scattered, and he'll sometimes think one thing and then think/do the opposite a second later. This is not an error on my part.**

A Frozen Journey 3

Vlad

I'm awake in an instant. I've remembered. On the jet with Daniel I'd almost figured it out, but had been distracted and thought it not important.

I sit up in bed and think it all the way through.

Years ago, when I became half ghost, I was full of jealousy, envy, and resentment. My new ghost side was born of those feelings, and my humanity was greatly diminished by this powerful, dark presence. The darkness of Vlad Plasmius outweighed any goodness left in Vlad Masters.

Deeper then this, though, was a truth: Vlad Plasmius was obsessed with obtaining what can't be obtained. That is, Maddie.

Daniel, however, is a completely different story. Daniel was full of love and life. Unlike me, Daniel's humanity was spared. No, more then spared, Daniel's humanity was amplified. His ghost side became obsessed, the same way my ghost half was obsessed with Maddie. Only Daniel's ghost became obsessed with humanity, more specifically, protecting humanity.

My emotions of envy are more potent then a regular humans, due to my ghost half's obsession. If 'Danny Phantom' is obsessed with humanity, which includes all emotion, then it can be reasonably concluded that all of young Daniel's emotions have been amplified. This could be a contributing factor on why he's so much stronger then other ghosts, but that was a line of thought for another day.

Some ghosts were obsessed with boxes, or lunch. Or a lost love. Daniel's ghost, in a strange twist of fate, seemed to be obsessed with humanity, or love. As a side effect of this, his emotional highs and lows were more intense then a humans.

No, not just intense, or potent, or extreme even. Amplified seems too tame a word, now that I think of it. Dangerous and deadly come to mind.

A ghosts obsession is what drives it. Every thought is filled with how to obtain whatever the obsession is. Whether it's technology, or the hunt, that obsession is the ghosts every thought. Being half human, Daniel and I were able to bridle this obsession. However, as a trade off, our emotions were tampered with.

If I'm right, and daniel's ghost side is obsessed with love and humanity, and all of his emotions are amplified, then how had he survived this? How had he somehow managed to come out of the death of his entire family and only friends in one piece? By all rights, he should have imploded.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but if I'm not… Daniel's human side should be tearing itself to pieces.

"Great scott…" I mumble to myself, clutching the side of my end table.

The ice. The ice was the key. He didn't just figuratively ice over his emotions. He's been literally freezing his humanity, so that the great chasm of emotion doesn't tear him apart.

This was beginning to make sense. Perhaps that's why he has this ice power… of course, he might have had it all along and just not known it. He never did take time to study his powers the way I had.

When I provoked Daniel, the ice cracked and all of that despair, the anger, that vast, fiery ocean I felt when I overshadowed him, all came pouring out. Rather, it was streamlined into anger at me, and it all translated into one command: destroy. He hadn't been trying to subdue or scare me when he fought me. He'd been trying to destroy me. Not injure, not even kill. Destroy. His cognitive reasoning was gone.

Honestly, it was a miracle I'd escaped.

If I don't do something about Daniel, he'll be the death of me. That I can be sure of.

Danny

After putting Vlad in his room, I paced outside his door. What had come over me? What the heck was wrong with me?

I felt something—anger, sadness, I'm not sure—well up inside me once more. Remembering what happened the last time I let my emotions get the better of me, I decided it was time to sleep.

I looked down the hallway, and realized there was no way I was going to find my room. I'd only found Vlad's because it was at the very top of his mansion.

Irritated, I laid down on the floor and let my ice envelope me. At least I'd know if Vlad… well, I'd know if he woke up.

I tried to stay awake, but I couldn't stop thinking about how horrible I'd been to Vlad, and how he'd been nothing but helpful. He was still Vlad Plasmius the psycho, I know that, but we weren't enemies anymore. We had no reason to fight, and as twisted as he'd become he was once my mom and dad's best friend.

I dropped the temperature of my ice, and decided it was best to sleep.

I don't know how long I was asleep, but I woke up when I heard Vlad's door open. I slowly melted my ice and stood, my eyes cast downward.

"Daniel, I don't want you to feel guilty about what happened. I'm not sure how I can help you yet, but I think I know what's going on with you. I need you to trust me now." Vlad put a hand on my shoulder and stooped down to my eye level. "Do you understand me Daniel?"

I forced myself to look him in the eye, and nodded.

"I haven't told you some stuff. Well a lot of stuff actually."

I decided then to tell him about the CAT, about cheating, about the Nasty Burger, about my dreams… all of it.

Vlad

Cheating was generally considered a deplorable thing to do. There were many consequences to it, including loss of trust and losing belief in yourself, yadda yadda ya.

Inadvertently killing your friends and family were rarely outcomes of such a moral discrepancy.

The boy was just worried about his future. How is the death of everything he held dear a justifiable outcome to a little cheating?

The guilt the child must feel. A normal child with this guilt would be hard pressed to move past it, but a ghost child with extreme emotion as a side effect to his ghostly obsession with the protection of humanity? I could list a hundred reasons why this should have made him implode.

His ghost's obsession, I'm now sure, was the protection of humanity. His being in even some way responsible for the death of so many innocent people for such a selfish thing as cheating should, by all rights, kill him.

The only way he's survived is by freezing himself to sleep whenever the emotions started to pile up.

I look at the boy, sitting with his head down, and realize I have a sort of respect for him. Not just because he beat the living snot out of me not long ago, but because he'd found a way to survive. Sort of.

Daniel raises his head for an instant, trying to guess at what I'm thinking. I can tell he's desperate for me not to hate him.

My sadistic side wants to realize this fear of his. To hate him and watch him crumble into a ball of sadness and die.

My realistic side realizes that this course of action ould probably lead to my demise. Once my realistic side shuts up my sadistic side, my much smaller side, my humanity, is able to get a thought in. I will help this boy.

I may be evil, but I'm not heartless.

Danny

"I see. Is that everything, Daniel?" I looked for signs of anger, but Vlad didn't look like he was about to try and kill me for admitting I'd been responsible for his long lost loves death.

"No… I need to go to the ghost zone. I, um, have some unfinished business there." I avert my eyes, and I know he knows I'm evading. That I'm hiding something. But I can't tell Vlad about Sam and my dreams. He can't know. He's still Vald Plasmius. He's still my enemy. Somewhat.

"One day, Daniel, I hope to hear the full story. Until then… go get some sleep." I sheepishly stand up, and avoid eye contact. "Daniel, I want you to try something. I want you to try and not encase yourself with ice. Just give it a try. Tomorrow I'll take you to my portal so you can deal with this unfinished business of yours."

Don't encase myself in ice? That's a weird thing to ask. But I nod my head and find my way to bed.

I find that it's strange to go to bed warm. I decide to honor Vlad's request, though, and close my eyes.

"Tucker? Sam? Where are you guys?" I'm walking through amity park when I see them all going to the Nasty Burger. I know what's going to happen next.

I try shouting at them, I try telling them to stop. I grab my mom by the sleeve and beg her to come back.

She yanks her hand away unkindly, and the way she looks at me… so full of anger and resentment.

"How could you, Danny?" She turns away from me, and continues walking with the others.

Their terrible death march seems endless, but soon enough, their at the nasty burger. I brace myself for what's coming next, but there's no explosion.

Instead, the Nasty Burger has turned into a graveyard. Each of them are laying in front of their gravestones, pale and cold.

"DANIEL, WAKE UP!" strong hands grab me and shake, hard.

I wake up to see Vlad Plasmius grasping my shoulders. He's put up a force field. Around us.

"Finally, you're awake." Vlad sighs and turns back into a human. I look around me and see destruction everywhere. "That was you, not me. How do you feel, Danny?"

I was tired. I was shocked, and afraid. I could feel tears coming down my face, and I was shaking violently.

I felt something else though. I felt warm. I haven't felt warm in a long time.

**A/N: Please let me know if this chapter is confusing at all. I'll go over it at some point when I have some time and try to clear up Vlad's big realization. **

**Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for such a long delay! **

Danny

I've been searching the ghost zone for… well I really don't know. Weeks, maybe. I finally got a clue from a rumor ghost about where I could find my family and friends. I was sure I was in the right place…

I cast my eyes around me, searching for a sign of life. Or, well, afterlife. I was in a part of the ghost zone I hadn't seen before. It was so much darker and oppressive here. There weren't any doors or floating pieces of territory. It was just… nothingness. Then I saw a light in the distance. If I can reach it, I know she'll be there.

I fly towards it faster then I'd ever flown before. She's there, I just know it.

"Sam!" I yell into the light. It starts pulling me in, and it scares me. But I refuse to fight it. "Sam!" I scream. The light is burning me, but I bear with it.

I see them everyone I know is here, just as they were in life. Mom and dad are even wearing their ridiculous jumpsuits. (Not that I am one to talk.) Everyone shouts their 'hellos', and wave at me. My eyes linger on Sam, and she smiles at me.

"Danny, you came! I'm so happy to see you again." Sam flew up to me, and intertwined her fingers with mine.

"Sam, I can't believe I found you! I've been searching for so long, trying to figure out where you would be… We can be together now, right? You don't have to leave anymore?"

"We can stay together now. Oh, Danny. I missed you so much! I… I love you."

"I love you to, Sam." I pulled her close to me, and gave her a short kiss. We both blushed and smiled, hugging each other close.

"I'm so glad you came for me, Danny. I was afraid I'd be alone forever."

"I'm not going anywhere, Sam. I'm never leaving you again."

Vlad

Daniel's been gone for too long.

I am sitting in my study, trying to get some work done, but I just can't shake this feeling of worry. It's been too long. I drop my pen, giving up on whatever it was that I was trying to do, and stand up.

I pull out a small device from my pocket, and turn it on. This device tracks Daniel's vitals and his position in the ghost zone. He was fine; there was absolutely nothing to worry about.

"Ridiculous." I sit back down at my desk and stow the handheld device in a drawer. The kid wanted to go alone into the ghost zone. He has plenty of weapons at his disposal, and even a panic button that will alert me immediately if he's in danger.

There's nothing to worry about. The boy has been in the ghost zone many times before. I myself have been there, for scientific purposes mostly. I place my chin on my hands and narrow my eyes. There is no reason to be so obsessed. The boy is fine.

My eye twitches.

I tear open the drawer in my desk and retrieve the unassuming device. I stare at it for a moment, and then turn it on again, staring at the boy's location.

I make a noise between annoyance and affirmation. I decide that I will make sure he is really okay, but I'm perturbed about it once again interrupting my work. I stand from my chair and make my way to my lab. I need to see for myself that the boy is alive and kicking. My mouth twists into a grimace.

Once in my lab, I plug in the device and pull up the information on the big screen. I access a program that the handheld device can't do on its own. That is, showing me what Daniel's doing. I made it a habit to check his position every night before going to bed, and in the morning. Usually he was just flying around, or talking to the more friendly or weak ghosts. Sometimes I'd see him fighting a ghost, and I'd watch until the end, ready to jump into the ghost zone if it looked like ever got in over his head.

He never did though. He always ended up on top, and his fighting actually seemed smoother then it was before, more practiced and efficient.

This time, however, he wasn't fighting. He wasn't talking to any ghosts, and he was flying around.

"For the love of all that's… He's doing it again." Daniel was incased in ice and drifting through the zone. "I told him not to do that anymore. How stupid could he be… he's basically asking to become target practice-" I was cut off by flashes of light appearing on the screen.

That foolish boy… I turn into Vlad Plasmius, grab the handheld device and dashed through my portal.

"Where are you, boy?"

Daniel was far away from my current location, in the deepest part of the Ghost Zone. The child better be alive when I get there.

Daniel

They were so alive, so happy here. They weren't green or disfigured like the other ghosts. This must be where the innocent go. Somewhere that's separate from the rest of the ghosts, somewhere… happy.

"Daniel, I know I've told you this before, but I want you to know that I really don't blame you. None of us do." Sam leads me back to where the rest of them are, and I'm enveloped by their hugs.

"I'm never leaving."

"You don't have to, son."

Vlad

He is too far away. I won't be able to get there in time. Maybe if I try a shortcut…

I survey the doors around me, trying to decide if I should risk taking one of the many unpredictable doors. I could end up farther away then ever. I could end up in a strange dimension. My hands barely touch the handle to a nearby door when I hear a gut-wrenching scream gone from within.

Better not.

I turn back to the path I was taking, and continue onward. He'd just have to survive until I find him.

I'm close now. I tear my eyes off the device and survey my surroundings. I can see, not too far away, a large group of ghosts shooting plasma at the unconscious halfa. His ice has almost completely been blown away.

I make several copies of myself, and rush the group from behind.

"What the-" I take the first one out easily, completely by surprise.

"You're gonna regret that!" A large, ape-like ghost charges at me, and I throw up a shield. When he hits it, I push my shield outwards, throwing him into the distance. My copies are making short work of the other ghosts, who have all turned their attention away from Daniel.

Once the mediocre band of ghosts has been taken care of, I fly after Daniel. He landed safely on a floating piece of land.

"Daniel! Daniel, open your eyes!" I command, grabbing his chin with my left hand. I pull his face upwards, and inspect him.

He's taken a lot of damage, and his body was colder then it had ever been before. I pry his eyes open with my right hand, but he still won't wake.

I toss his limp body over my shoulder, and make my way back to the lab.

Daniel

"Seriously? You teamed up with Vlad Plasmius?" Tucker looked at me with an expression of such disbelief that I couldn't help but laugh.

"I wouldn't say 'teamed up.' More like, used and abused. Did I already tell you the part where I beat the snot out of him?"

"No, this I want to hear!" Sam leaned in for my story, and I wrapped my arm around her.

"Wait wait wait wait wait. Vlad Plasmius as in… Vlad Masters? Vladdy is a ghost to?" Dad had an extremely confused look on his face.

"Yeah, remember that lab accident way back when? It turned him half ghost, like it did with me."

"Oh, I see! You and he must have teamed up to form a super-cool crime fighting team! Right?"

Sam, tucker and I all looked at each other, and busted up laughing. Even Jazz couldn't control herself.

"Dad, Vlad was the most evil ghost I ever fought!" I responded, feeling slightly guilty. "Well, I mean he was. He's actually not that bad anymore."

Vlad

I made it back to my lab without too much trouble. I had to become invisible once I realized that all of Daniel's enemies had heard that he was floating helpless through the ghost zone.

I laid Daniel down on the examine table in my lab. I grabbed some tools and set to work finding out if there was any hope in bringing Daniel back from the brink of death.

After several hours, it became clear that the external damage was not the only thing keeping Daniel from waking. The damage was indeed extensive, but it wasn't the physical damage that was the problem. There was something wrong with his brain. It wasn't brain damage, or at least any that I'd seen before.

I looked closer at the scans and readings. It was ice. There was ice in his brain.

I looked at the boy in a coma on my table. He must have accidentally done it when he had encased himself in ice. Entombed was really a more appropriate word. He didn't plan on waking up again.

"Foolish boy!" if he wanted to commit suicide, I'd be more then glad to help. Plasma formed around my hands, and I was on him in moments.

My fist rose high in the air, and it came slamming down on the boys face. I grabbed his collar with my left hand, and pulled my right hand back again.

"You! Stupid! Boy!" I mark each word with a blow that would have killed a normal human. "Giving! Up! So! Easily?" I feel something break underneath my hand, but I don't let up. I don't think I ever will. Why should I? The boy wants to die, might as well give him hand. Or a fist.

My eyes could only see red, and my entire body felt hot.

Finally I dropped the boy to the ground, and stood over him with a twisted sneer on my face. I stared at him for a few moments, then turned and left the lab.

Maybe he'd live, maybe he wouldn't. It wasn't my problem anymore.

**A/N: Anyone confused with Vlad's violence, remember; he's not a good guy. However, he genuinely did want to help Danny, and when he saw that Danny had tried to die, he kind of… Snapped. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey, thank you all for sticking with me. Updates should be coming pretty regularly from now on. **

Danny

"So you're saying Vlad helped you get to us what… out of the evilness of his heart? Come on. He had to have an angle." Tucker was fiddling with some sort of handheld device. I wasn't sure what he needed technology for in the afterlife, but I suppose heaven without technology would be hell for Tucker.

"Tuck, I'm telling you. The guy totally mellowed after… you know. Everything. He hasn't given me any trouble, and if it weren't for him then I'd still be wandering around in the Nasty Burger. Let's not talk about Vlad. Let's talk about what you guys have been up to! What do you do for fun here?"

The place was beautiful. Green hills, blue skies… I could swear I heard a waterfall somewhere around here.

"All sorts of stuff. Exploring, flying, even inventing. Mom and dad have made a whole lab." Jazz was so calm here, so different from when she was alive.

"Why don't we just… lay here for a little bit?" Sam pulled on my hand, and smiled up at me.

Yeah, that sounded good.

I laid down on the grass next to Sam, and kept holding her hand. There was a soft breeze that tickled my skin, raising goose bumps up my arm. The sun wonderful, warming my face. I swear I could hear birds somewhere.

We stayed that way for sometime. I don't know how long. I could have passed years that way. I didn't get cramped or uncomfortable lying in one position. It felt perfect.

The sun was getting a little too warm though. I raised one hand above my face, shielding it from the sun.

"Hey Danny, let's go find that waterfall." Sam sat up, and pulled me along.

"Yeah, let's do that. Hey, everyone else go?" Mom, dad, and Jazz had all left. Only tucker and sam were still here.

"Oh, who knows, probably off to do something sciency. Let's go find that waterfall to cool down in." Tucker led the way, flying up in the sky to look around.

"There we go! Down there!" Tucker pointed off in the distance, and we started for the waterfall. It was getting really warm, so we flew pretty fast. The sound of the waterfall got louder in my ears, and I couldn't wait to be in the cold water.

"Man, it's getting seriously hot in here. I hope that waterfall is—

"Hello Daniel. Don't bother trying to reform your ice. It's much too hot in here even for your powers."

It's so hot. Why am I on the ground? I'm drenched in sweat, and I hurt all over, why do I hurt? I'm in such a gray place. Wasn't I with Sam? It was so colorful there. Why is it so gray here? My eyes are having trouble focusing. I open my mouth to speak, but my throat is so dry and my lips are cracked. I swallow hard several times.

"Where-No, I wa-" I swallow again, and squeeze my eyes shut. I remember now.

He'd broken it. He'd broken my dream. Again. Why did he have to keep meddling?

My family, tucker, Sam… they weren't in the ghost zone. They never were. They were somewhere I'd never be able to reach.

"Tell me Daniel, why did you think you could reach your family in the Ghost Zone? Yes, I know that's why you went there."

I look up at Vlad. He's sitting in a velvet chair, his legs crossed and his head resting lazily on his hand. He looks so unaffected, so distant and emotionless. I can't believe I defended him to Tucker, even if it was all just a dream.

"A dream. Fake. It was all just me. I saw her, Sam, and tucker, and mom and dad and jazz and even lancer but it wasn't them it was all me and I" I swallow hard "I thought that they wanted me to go to the ghost zone but they DIDN'T they don't even—they never even—I don't-"

"Stop talking, Daniel." I hadn't realized how loud I'd gotten until I heard Vlad talking over me. He was still looking down at me through half open eyes. "I see. So while freezing your brain to sleep, you'd have hallucinations. In one of them your friend told you to trick me into letting you use my portal so you could try and kill yourself. What, a noose wasn't good enough? Stop, I don't care. Pick yourself up and do as you please. I have all the answers I wanted from you. It's clear you've gotten what you wanted from me as well."

Kill myself? That wasn't what I was trying to do… was it?

Vlad stood from his chair. He stared down at me as if I was a stain on the carpet, something undesirable, but something that was just not important enough to do anything about. Then, he stepped over me as if I wasn't even there and left.

I wonder if I should even bother picking myself up. Maybe he'd turn off the heater and I could just freeze myself again. I lay there, unmoving, Vlad's uncaring eyes stuck in my head.

I hadn't known how much I wanted Vlad to be my ally until he left. Yet another person I'd driven from me. At least I didn't kill this one.

I squeeze my eyes shut, and turn my face to the ground. It hurt. It hurt so much. Not just the wounds that covered my body, or the glass that I was laying on. That was all a welcome distraction to the pain that I felt in my head, in my heart, even my stomach. It was everywhere and it was too much.

Too much.

I try and reform my ice, but Vlad is right. I can't do it in this heat. I have no strength, and I hurt all over. There's no way I'm just getting up and walking out. I'm pretty sure my nose is broken. There's a pool of warm, sticky blood by my face.

My head hurts the most. It feels like somebody hit me square in the face with a baseball bat over and over again.

I don't want to move, even if I could. Where would I go? Can I even go back to that wonderful place I was before? Will I be able to fool myself again?

Time passes. I don't know how much. It's so hot in here. I feel like all the moisture from my body has evaporated. I lick my lips and immediately regret it; they're covered in blood.

Something yanks me up from my collar. I don't fight it. I don't care. From the corner of my eye I see that it's Vlad. Maybe he got tired of waiting for me to scrape myself up off the floor and decided to do it for me. I wonder if he'll just toss me outside or if he's planning on finishing me off. Better not hope for anything. I just close my eyes and wait to stop moving. The rocking motion makes me feel sick to my stomach, and I think I'm going to hurl.

Just as I can't take it anymore, he stops, and picks me up. He carefully tosses me, and I see that I'm not headed for the sidewalk or a trashcan, but for a bed. I close my eyes and land gently in the soft blankets. I pull my eyebrows together and look at him, completely confused.

I can't even get my question out before he gives me a look to silence me. It was such an angry look; I couldn't even think to ask him what he was doing. I can only assume that this is not kindness. Surely, he is about to say something horrible. Maybe rub my face in the fact that he was so kind to me and I just used him. I look down, unable to meet his eyes. He walked over to the side of my bed, and sighed.

He stuffed me underneath the sheets and blanket, and sat down heavily in the chair by my bed. As I was about to open my mouth a second time, the enraged look on his face intensified.

"Don't ask me anything so cruel as 'why,' Daniel. Of course I can't just leave you to die." He rubbed his eyes and temples with his hand. "This isn't a fate that I would wish on you, my worst enemy. I thought for a time that I didn't care. I had convinced myself that it didn't matter to me what you chose and how you lived or died. It does though. Of course it does. Its always mattered. You're still alive, Daniel. I'm going to do my best to keep it that way. The quality of that life is entirely up to you. Get some sleep. Those, uh, ghosts did a number on you." Vlad stood up and turned the light off in my room. He stood for a moment looking at me, then exited and quietly closed the door.

I didn't move. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I was so sure he hated me, I was positive that he wanted nothing more then to kill me. He looked so angry… It didn't make any sense.

Vlad

(Let's do the time warp agaaaaain…. This takes place after Vlad leaves Daniel alone in the lab)

Daniel's ice powers are really something. Even with the heat turned all the way up, the ice just reformed after it melted, as if his brain wanted nothing more then to remain frozen. It took quite a while for it to just get too hot for the ice to form.

At least it all makes sense now. After having seen me in the Nasty Burger, his subconscious put together a plan to protect itself. He concocted a plan to receive the love and forgiveness he so desperately wanted from his family, and save himself the trouble of having to live day to day.

Frozen brain, frozen heart. No need to feel the pain anymore. That was the only reason he wanted to come live with me.

Hmph, I'd never taken Daniel for the suicidal type. I'd thought he was so much stronger-

Strong? What does strength have to do with this? Strength can't save you from this kind of crushing despair. It doesn't matter how strong you are if a thousand pound weight is dropped on your head. The same goes for emotional and mental strength.

No. No excuses. He had all the help in the world and he just threw it away for a pipe dream… which is exactly what I've been doing for the better part of my life. I chased after Maddy instead of trying to find a new love. I consumed myself with a dream instead of facing reality.

I can't believe I'm empathizing with this boy. We are nothing alike. I'd never freeze myself and let myself become target practice to every ghost just to escape. I'm not going to make excuses for him. He's had his chance.

Chance to what? I haven't even really tried to help him. What have I done? Given him a bed to sleep in, fed him, and thrown him into the lair of all his worst enemies knowing he was chasing after something he would never find. Real helpful, Vlad.

Well, I can't help him if he doesn't want to be helped. I can't force him to want to be whole again.

But I also can't help him by abandoning him… Oh, no. I have to go back, don't I?

Where did this blasted conscious suddenly come from? I look at the clock; I'd been debating with myself for over two hours, going around in circles. I wonder if he's still alive down there.

After leaving Daniel's room, I realized that I was pissed. I was utterly annoyed with myself. I was so indecisive. I was never indecisive. I always had a plan, I always knew who my enemies were, and I never hesitated.

But now… if find myself second guessing myself, and unsure of how to proceed. How does one even go about rehabilitating a completely, hopelessly depressed half ghost teenager? I'd already experienced what happens when that ice he has over his emotions breaks, and it nearly killed me. It's dangerous. Terrifying even. And here I was vowing to make him whole again? What was I thinking?

It's over now though. I've decided. I'm going to help this boy even if it kills both of us.

Which, based on past experience, it just might.

**A/N: Any questions? Please feel free to ask. Please be frank with me, I'd rather you tell me the truth so I can fix/clear it up then to leave something in that doesn't make sense. **

**Anywaaaaay, thank you very much. We are nearing the end of the tale! Poor Danny... :( And poor Vlad. So much sadness.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I didn't mean to take such a long hiatus, especially without saying anything. Anyway the semester is almost over and then I'm home so I'll be able to actually update more yay!**

Vlad

The boy was sweating through the sheets, but I had to do something to keep him from reforming his ice. Once I could trust him again, I'd put the A/C on a more comfortable setting. I closed and locked Daniels door, and walked to my office.

I had dismissed all of the staff, except of course the chef. I certainly wasn't going to cook. With the random housekeepers and other staff gone, the mansion was strangely quiet. I closed the door to my office, and sat down heavily at my chair.

What to do. Simply turning up the heat to keep Daniel from freezing his brain wasn't going to solve anything. I didn't have what some call a 'nurturing nature' so on my own, it was unlikely I'd be able to help heal Daniel.

I cracked my knuckles, and closed my eyes. What to do?

Danny

I woke up from a strange fever dream with a start. I was literally covered in sweat. It was disgusting. I stood up and walked to my door, which of course was locked. I could destroy the lock with plasma. I could phase through it. I could probably just break it with my enhanced ghost-strength.

But I don't. Vlad has me locked in this hot room for a reason, and I've decided to trust him. I turn away from the door and sit down at a chair. It's so hot in here, I feel like I'm suffocating. Isn't he worried I'll get sick because of this heat? I already feel dehydrated.

I wince as I sit down, my wounds not having healed yet. Those ghosts must have been really strong to have broken through my ice and done this much damage to me before Vlad showed up.

I owe my life to Vlad. That should mean a lot, especially to me, but… without my ice protecting me from this storm inside of me, it's hard to feel anything but guilt and despair. Gratitude over being stripped of my fantasy life was out of the question.

I lean back in the chair, and vaguely wish it was a swivel chair. I used to love getting pushed by Jazz in those rolly chairs. Except that one time when it fell over and I got hurt. I cried and cried until Jazz, who started crying because she was so sorry, carried me to mom.

I try to stop thinking about them. I can feel the storm inside of me, it was starting to feel the way it did when I attacked Vlad. It's better not to think about those things.

Vlad

I'd spend all morning on the phone, searching for a therapist that wasn't a youth-sucking demon from beyond the grave. It took longer then I thought it would.

I thought about asking Danny if he'd prefer a male or female therapist, but decided it really wouldn't matter. Also, I didn't want to have to tell him he was going to see a therapist. That was bound to be an awkward conversation. Vlad Masters talented at many things, but awkward conversations was not one of them.

The appointment was for next week. All I had to do was keep the boy alive until then. I picked up my phone again, and told the chef what I wanted for lunch. I paused at the end, and added "chocolate milkshake"

Kids like chocolate milkshakes, right?

I hang up the phone, and stand up. I feel suddenly antsy. I want to check on Daniel again, but if he's awake I'll probably tell him about seeing a shrink. He could react any number of ways. I know I wasn't pleased whenever I was told to seek professional help; Daniel surely wouldn't be overly pleased with this.

Deciding I needed to 'nut up' as the kids say, I picked up our lunch and walked to Daniels room.

Daniel was sitting in the half-light, staring blankly at the wall. He didn't appear to be deep in thought. It was like he was asleep, but his eyes were open. He didn't even look at me when I opened the door.

It was bloody hot in here. Daniel was covered in sweat, and I was already starting to feel damp.

"Daniel." He looked over at me, his face still blank. When his eyes registered that it was me, he took on a decidedly 'kicked-puppy' expression. This again? "Don't start that up. I'm not going to toss you out a window."

I set the tray of food down on his desk. He looked at the chocolate milkshake greedily, but didn't reach for it. I take it off of the tray, and hand it to him.

"I'm trusting that you won't immediately freeze yourself with this. It won't last long anyways. I want you to control yourself. You _can _freeze your brain for a little bit after drinking this milkshake. You'll probably have a lovely little dream. Please, don't." I reached for my own food, and sat at the edge of his bed.

"I… I don't know if I can control it anymore." Daniel licked his lips nervously.

"Of course you can. Are you telling me that the only ghost to ever defeat Vlad Plasmius is weak? Don't make me beat you again."

"Again?"

"Just drink your milkshake."

Danny

I really don't know if I can stop myself. I can feel the power. It's coiled—it has been for a long time. Once I am at a low enough temperature, the ice will spread. It's like a… what is it called? A defense mechanism, that's it.

I decide that I'll try, though. I sip the icy liquid, which has already started to melt in the heat. It tastes amazing. I feel invigorated and strong. I can feel the ice, starting to spread in my chest.

I stop drinking and focus on containing it. There, it's stopped.

I grin at vlad, and he returns it. He gives me a genuine smile, and even a pat on the shoulder. I feel… good.

I can do this.

**A/N: I am sorry this is so short! This was a nice little fuzzy chapter… it won't last. :p**

**Also, I'm sorry for the delays. I've actually had this whole thing planned out since the beginning, so it's not that I don't know where I'm going. I've just been so busy with school, that it's been hard to find the time to just sit down and DO it!**

**Anyway, R/R, please! You guys are the fuel that keeps me going! **


	7. Seek Professional Help

**A/N: I can't apologize enough! My house was flooded when I got home from college, so I've been super busy with that! The end is very near, expect it soon!**

Vlad

I watch the car drive down the road until it disappears from my view. Daniel is off to his third session at therapy. There hasn't been much progress.

Daniel had recovered quickly from his injuries, which was good. Trying to explain those to a therapist would not have been easy. I still haven't told Daniel the whole truth about where he got those injuries, and I doubt I will.

I make my way to my study, trying to decide how much longer this can go on. Daniel can stop the ice inside him while he's awake, but when he sleeps it finds a way to creep into his brain. Even turning the heat up has done nothing, so I've given up that strategy. I sit down heavily, resting my chin on my hands.

What can be done? Is there anything that can be done? Is it better for him to just freeze himself permanently?

I turn my tv on, and wait for Daniel to arrive at his session. I turn the volume up, just to make sure I don't miss anything.

If therapy won't work, I'll have to come up with something else. While I wait for Daniel to show up at his appointment, I pull out a pad of paper and begin writing down as many ideas as I can to help Daniel. Some are ridiculous, some impossible. I don't let that stop me; I just keep writing until Daniel appears on my tv screen, trading awkward hello's with his therapist.

Danny

I do like my therapist, Jon. He's cool, and it seems like he's really listening to me. I can't tell him everything though, obviously, so sometimes it takes me a long time to answer. It's exhausting, trying to explain to him everything that happened without giving away that I'm a half ghost. That would just land me in a padded room. Or worse.

"So, Danny, how was your week? Were you able to talk to Vlad about when you had run away?"

"Well, sort of." I shift uncomfortably on the couch, and try to keep eye contact.

"What do you mean?" Jon asks, setting down the pen he'd been holding. Jon didn't write stuff down when I was in the room, which I liked.

"I told him I was sorry, but I don't think he really wanted to hear that."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Well, I don't know. He's a hard guy to read. And we didn't really get along before all of this stuff, so it gets awkward." I hadn't told Jon this before, on purpose. I didn't want him thinking that Vlad was a bad guy… even if he was formerly numero uno on my "villains to pants" list.

"You two didn't get along? Why was that?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story, and it's all in the past." Jon kept waiting, so I continued with a half sigh half chuckle, trying to let him know it was nothing serious. "Um, well Vlad and my parents were all good friends in college, and he kind of had a thing for my mom, and he started to get… bitter, I guess, that she liked my dad. So sometimes he would be kind of nasty behind my dads back, and I knew about it, so we butted heads… But that's all in the past now, and it was never very serious." I try not to laugh about my definition of 'never very serious.'

"I see. Has he ever tried to hurt you?" Jon asked in such a natural way that I wasn't even shocked. He said it like he was asking about the weather.

"No, no, nothing like that. More like… I'd call him names, and he'd sneer, I guess? It was… kind of fun, actually. It was easier then this. When we were 'fighting'" I said fighting with air quotes. "it was simple, and direct. Trying to actually understand him is harder. So it's like, I don't know what he wants from me. I don't know what he expects. I mean I know he's doing this because of his past with my parents, but he's still going so far for me. I don't get it. And it makes me feel guilty, because I keep screwing up and I know this just isn't going to turn out well, and" I stop, out of breath, and realize I'd stood up and was almost shouting. I take a few deep breaths and sit down, trying to get a hold of myself. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Danny. I think I know why Vlad didn't want you to apologize. You don't have anything to apologize for. I don't think he took you in because he felt obligated to, out of respect for his past. I think it's because he really cares about you. He didn't want to hear your apologies because what he really wants is just for you to be how you were before all this. I'm just guessing here, but I assume you didn't apologize for anything before your parents death?"

Memories of my fights with Vlad pass before my eyes. I was never apologetic to him before. But things were different then.

"Well, no, I guess not."

"See? And more then that, he feels that he let you down. That I know. That's why it hurts when you try to apologize—he feels he should be the one apologizing."

Vlad

I don't think I like him talking for me.

Danny

I stay silent about my doubts on that. He still has this really angry look sometimes, like he did when he put me in my room after saving me from the ghost zone. Would you like

"You don't look very convinced. I think that we've made some good progress, Danny, but I think it would be helpful to have your guardian join us. What do you think? Would you be open to having a few sessions with Vlad?" Jon gives me a disarming smile.

"No way, no how. Vlad would never go for it." Even if I have suggested he seek professional help multiple times.

"I didn't ask if Vlad would go for it, I asked if you would. Would you, Danny? Or do you not feel comfortable with the idea of Vlad being here? I wont suggest it if you feel like it would be a bad idea."

I almost say absolutely it would be a bad idea. The worst possible idea. But something about how he asked me made me think that he still thought Vlad might be a bad guy, and if I didn't agree to bring Vlad, then it would be the same as admitting it.

"Uh, I wouldn't mind. That might be kind of good, I guess. But Vlad will just never go for it, I know that."

"Alright, well we'll see. Will he be picking you up today?" Jon leaned back in his chair.

"No, he sends a car. He's really busy and stuff."

Jon glanced at the clock above the door, then back at me.

"Well, we have plenty of time. Why don't you give him a call, and see if he can pick you up today? Unless he makes you uncomfortable, I wouldn't want you to feel unsafe here." Jon's eyes were soft and concerned through his rectangle glasses.

"No, it's fine, I'll just text him in case he's in a meeting or something." I took out the unfamiliar phone that Vlad had gotten me, and turned it back on. While I waited for it to boot up, I wondered vaguely how Vlad would react to me once again telling him to go to therapy.

Vlad

That therapist was good. I knew he was, when I was looking for someone to trust Daniel with. It had been pretty entertaining, seeing him play Daniel so easily. He had him in the palm of his hand the entire time, but let Daniel think he was in control.

It sounded sinister the way I thought about it, I suddenly realized. I guess it would, though, I being who I am.

When Jon suggested that I join in on the sessions, my heart had nearly stopped. I didn't want to be under anyone's magnifying glass, but I'd already decided that I would do what it would take to help Daniel. So, when I got his text, I let him know that I would pick him up this time.

Deciding not to waste any time, I switched Daniel's feed to my phone, and took it to my car. I hooked it up to the stereo, and continued listening.

Danny

"Whoa," I accidentally said.

"What's that?" Jon asked.

"Well, he agreed. He'll be here to pick me up. That's… cool, I guess."

"Alright. Would you like to ask him, or would you rather I ask him to join our next session?"

"Umm, I can ask, but can you stick around? To like, explain why and stuff?"

"Of course, Danny. Until then, why don't you tell me some more about what it's been like living at Vlad's house?"

Vlad

I arrived a few minutes early to pick Daniel up, so I decided to wait in the car, still listening to the stream. I should probably feel guilty, listening without Daniel knowing, but hey… evil. Honestly Daniel should expect that kind of behavior by now.

It was interesting, seeing me through Daniel's eyes. I often didn't know what Daniel thought of his continued stay with me despite no longer needing me for his own purposes. I sometimes expected him to just leave and find another fast food restaurant to squat in now that he had no need for my ghost portal.

I was glad he had deigned not to do so.

As the session drew to a close, I unplugged my phone and exited the program. Once in the lobby, I only had to wait a few minutes for Jon to come out.

"You must be Vlad! It's very good to meet you, I'm Jon, Danny's therapist. Would you mind coming back with me for a moment?" Jon had a strangely soft handshake, making me automatically loosen my grip to match his.

"Of course not, lead the way." Jon smiled, and turned back through the door he'd entered through.

"Danny is a really great kid, a real special boy. I'm so sorry about the losses you have both experienced, I understand you were close with his parents?"

"Yes, we were college friends."

"Oh, what did you study?"

"I was a double major in engineering and biology at the time. I met them through my engineering classes."

"Really, wow. That's quite impressive! Danny is right through this door." Jon opened the door for me, and I went through. Daniel was sitting on a small, worn out looking couch. I stood next to him, waiting for Jon to enter. Daniel stayed sitting, looking uncomfortable.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, wondering if I'd missed anything in the few minutes they had talked while I was in the lobby waiting.

"Um," Daniel stood, not looking up at me. "I was wondering if you'd join me for a session sometime?"

I looked over at Jon, who smiled.

"I think it would be great if I could learn a little more about the two of you, so we can put a plan into action for Danny's best interest. What do you say, Vlad? Are you up for it?"

"Of course, I think that's a splendid idea." Daniel looked shocked, which was somewhat hilarious. I had to keep a firm grasp on my laughter.

"That's what I like to hear! Then I'll see you both next week? Does the same time work for you, Vlad?"

"Yes, that works fine. Is that everything?"

"That's it! I look forward to seeing you both next week! Please, let me walk you out. The halls can get confusing sometimes."

As we all walked out, I couldn't help but feel a bit… strange.

It seems Daniel was able to get me to therapy after all.

**A/N: I just love that Danny got Vlad to go to therapy. xD I think it's hilarious. Anyway, thank you all for being wonderful! **


End file.
